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Thursday, July 11, 2013

Welcome, Jo. Tell us how much of
yourself you write into your characters.

Many characters are a mixture of people we’ve met or
observed. So I suppose there is a little bit of me scattered around among the
characters.

What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?

I was raised as an only child and did what was expected of
me. I don’t think I ever did anything quirky.

When did you first
discover that you were a writer?

Since college I’ve known a deep-seated desire to write but
not until the children were out of the house did I write for publication. So
when Mature Living published my first
article, I had validation that I had made it as a writer.

Our younger generations have what we call a microwave
mentality—they want instant gratification. So they’re always in a hurry. I’m
not. I’m sure with maturity one tends to recognize the community around them
and also the peace that Jesus promised he would leave us.

How do you choose
your characters’ names?

When I choose characters’ names I consider their
environment, the time frame of the book, and the other members of their family.
I wouldn’t put a Beauregard, Jr. in a story about rural living, but I suppose
he would be okay in New York City.

What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I expect most would claim their family as the accomplishment
that they would be most proud of. Other than the expected, I am most proud of
becoming a member of the Literary Hall of Fame at my alma mater, Lincoln
Memorial University (TN).

If you were an animal,
which one would you be, and why?

A golden eagle. I would love to glide above the fields and
seas, have their keen eyesight, and other birds would not pick on me.

What is your favorite
food?

My favorite food is pizza.

What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I am a seat-of-the-pants writer. I never outline. I do write
a loosely constructed synopsis. I’ve never had writer’s block until writing the
third and final book in the Caney Creek Series. How did I overcome it? I’d
never done it before but I finally got 3x5 cards and jotted down each scene I
had already written. I got away from the computer, read the cards, and prayed.
In the two hours away from the computer I became ready to hit the keyboard again
and the words flowed through my fingers, like they’ve always done whenever I
write.

Tell us about the
featured book.

The Caney Creek Series is set in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
of East Tennessee. The series follows the
Callaway family through all three books. Live their triumphs, sorrows,
achievements, and losses. Walk along with them as they meet faith challenges
and fight to regain a rightful place in God's plan.

Beyond the Past is book 2 in the series.

Emmajean Callaway’s life in Atlanta plummets from bad to worse. Can big
brother, Jim, lead her back to the family who loves her and also hold the
imploding Callaway family together?

Jim Callaway looks forward to 1951 and the chance to forge a
relationship with

Caroline after twenty years apart. He’s sidetracked when his
sister and his best friend need his help. His baby sister, Emmajean, skids into
jail on drug charges in Atlanta.
The ordeal of incarceration and trial diminishes her and she needs rescuing,
not only physically but spiritually. She struggles toward recovery and
restoration with her lawyer’s help as he champions her inside and outside the
courtroom. Jim’s nephew Art is one step ahead of the truant officer, wrecks his
car, and officials suspect alcohol is involved. Art awaits his fate at the
hands of the juvenile court judge. Jim and Caroline continue their bumpy
journey as they seek realization of their dreams, wondering if they really can
overcome obstacles to their being together after so many years.

Please give us the
first page of the book.

January 1, 1951

Atlanta, Georgia

Emmajean bolted upright in bed, her heart hammering against
her chest, and eyes searching the darkness. What had awakened her? She glanced
at the clock. Two o’clock in the morning. She’d only been in bed a scant thirty
minutes. She had worked with Barry till after the New Year’s Eve celebrations
settled down.

She eased aside the shade at her bedside window that
overlooked the street to see what awoke her. Three cars parked beneath the
streetlight and four men huddled on the sidewalk. Two of the cars were police
cars; one was not. Two of the men wore uniforms, the other two had on suits.
They approached the house and hurried to get up the steps to the front porch.

When they knocked on the door, Emmajean scrambled from her
tangled covers, searching for her house slippers. She jerked her housecoat from
across the foot of the bed and pushed her arms into it. As she cinched the belt
around her waist, she stepped across the room and opened her bedroom door. At
the same moment, Barry opened his bedroom door directly across the living room
from hers, buckling the belt in his pants. When he

Paperback and eBook copies are available on Amazon and
Barnes and Noble.

Thank you, Jo, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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I would love to win a copy of your book! I live in SW Virginia and drive through the Cumberland Gap on my way to work. One of my good friends growing up was a Calloway. Thank you for dirtying a novel in my "neck of the woods!"Tonja S. in VA